Connecting Legacy HVAC Controllers to School Networks
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 The Challenge
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Every year school boards invest hundreds of thousands of dollars maintaining their school facilities. Whether in a school's boiler room, or the thermostats in each classroom, serial equipment is the foundation of school facilities. With the volume of this equipment growing, and school budgets tightening, there is a pressing need to manage these widely dispersed devices more efficiently. These serial devices can include HVAC systems, lighting, security alarms, UPS systems and data loggers.
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The ACT5100 Energy Management system is one example of this challenge. Widely deployed in schools across the United States, the only means of managing these controllers is through the serial port. The challenge is to find a way for the serial ports of these devices to 'talk' to the LAN or WAN. In the absence of a solution, these devices must be physically monitored, on-site by an administrator or technician.
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Precidia's Solution |
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Precidia's Ether232Plus connects the ACT5100 to the school's LAN or WAN, providing real-time access to each controller from any PC on the network, via a standard web browser or Telnet.
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Connecting the ACT5100 to the school's network delays the need to replace existing equipment, reduces cabling, and gives real time access to information. It also offers enhanced functionality, leveraging the bi-directional communications capabilities of Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Schools are not currently connecting serial equipment because of cabling limitations, high costs, limited budgets and a lack of technical resources.
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The ability to remotely monitor stand-alone serial devices in real time is beneficial in any school environment where access to information and reducing downtime is critical. HVAC systems can be monitored from a central location with a Precidia device; school boiler systems can be controlled from a central location, sending out alarms to custodial staff when problems occur.
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Benefits |
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School boards have realized several key benefits by implementing Precidia's Ether232Plus:
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- Improved Productivity
With the ACT5100 connected to their LAN, maintenance staff no longer need to visit each controller onsite to retrieve data or perform administration tasks. They can simply log into each device using a standard web browser, or Telnet, from their office PC.
- Reduced Downtime
The solution contributes to an overall reduction in equipment downtime, which is critical when controlling building temperatures and other environmental factors. Since data is available in real-time, it can be retrieved more efficiently for faster identification of problems or equipment malfunction.
- Make Better use of Existing ACT5100 and LAN
With budgets weighing on the minds of school administrators, this solution works with existing equipment and networks, prolonging any investment in new equipment. Users gain the functionality of newer, IP enabled controllers, without the cost.
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Conclusion |
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The Ether232Plus responds to the most significant challenge faced by school boards with ACT5100 controllers: the need to access the device more readily, without replacing or upgrading existing systems or equipment.
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Precidia's technology protects legacy equipment investment, yet delivers enhanced features to serial devices, such as network management, SNMP support, data logging, and diagnostics. In effect, serial equipment benefits from all of the features of TCP/IP. It's that easy.
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| Contact Precidia |
150 Katimavik Road
Suite 1000
Ottawa, Ontario
K2L 2N2, Canada
Tel: 613.592.7557
Fax: 613.482.5770 |
info@precidia.com  |
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